Chapter 19
Research-Based Path Proposal on Optical
Spectroscopy in Secondary School
Daniele Buongiorno and Marisa Michelini
Abstract Optical Spectroscopy (OS) represents a conceptual and historical bridge
between classical and modern physics: it is one of the experimental evidences of the
atomic structure as well as a key to understand light–matter interaction phenomena.
Its importance is widely recognized on disciplinary, cultural and social plans,
nevertheless very few efforts have been made in order to integrate those aspects in
an equally considerable educational Scheme.
A research-based educational path on OS was designed for secondary school
students in the theoretical framework of Model of Educational Reconstruction and
step-by-step calibration by means of Design-Based Research. The Inquiry-Based
Learning strategy involved students in experimental and interpretative tasks in order
to recognize the link between the energy levels model of atoms and discrete
luminous emission observed during laboratorial activities.
19.1 Introduction
All EU secondary school curricula take into account modern physics as an important
content, but problems concerning modalities and specific contents to be addressed is
still open as well as instruments and methods needed to teach these topics. In the
praxis, the approach is very often limited to a narrative review of the conceptual
problems and relative theoretical solution, focusing on the crucial aspects, that
characterized the history of physics at the beginning of the XX century, rather
than a conceptual, disciplinary, operative foundation of the theories building a
culture linking new theories with instruments and methods of physics. (Michelini
et al. 2014).
In the wider framework of modern physics, Optical Spectroscopy (OS) provides
the experimental basis of the modern quantum theory and it represents a significant
D. Buongiorno (*) · M. Michelini
Physics Education Research Unit, DMIF, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
e-mail: buongiorno.daniele@spes.uniud.it; marisa.michelini@uniud.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. G. Sidharth et al. (eds.), Fundamental Physics and Physics Education Research,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52923-9_19
239
Research-Based Path Proposal on Optical
Spectroscopy in Secondary School
Daniele Buongiorno and Marisa Michelini
Abstract Optical Spectroscopy (OS) represents a conceptual and historical bridge
between classical and modern physics: it is one of the experimental evidences of the
atomic structure as well as a key to understand light–matter interaction phenomena.
Its importance is widely recognized on disciplinary, cultural and social plans,
nevertheless very few efforts have been made in order to integrate those aspects in
an equally considerable educational Scheme.
A research-based educational path on OS was designed for secondary school
students in the theoretical framework of Model of Educational Reconstruction and
step-by-step calibration by means of Design-Based Research. The Inquiry-Based
Learning strategy involved students in experimental and interpretative tasks in order
to recognize the link between the energy levels model of atoms and discrete
luminous emission observed during laboratorial activities.
19.1 Introduction
All EU secondary school curricula take into account modern physics as an important
content, but problems concerning modalities and specific contents to be addressed is
still open as well as instruments and methods needed to teach these topics. In the
praxis, the approach is very often limited to a narrative review of the conceptual
problems and relative theoretical solution, focusing on the crucial aspects, that
characterized the history of physics at the beginning of the XX century, rather
than a conceptual, disciplinary, operative foundation of the theories building a
culture linking new theories with instruments and methods of physics. (Michelini
et al. 2014).
In the wider framework of modern physics, Optical Spectroscopy (OS) provides
the experimental basis of the modern quantum theory and it represents a significant
D. Buongiorno (*) · M. Michelini
Physics Education Research Unit, DMIF, University of Udine, Udine, Italy
e-mail: buongiorno.daniele@spes.uniud.it; marisa.michelini@uniud.it
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2021
B. G. Sidharth et al. (eds.), Fundamental Physics and Physics Education Research,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-52923-9_19
239